Best Of The Millennium: The Top 25 American Pro Sports Franchises Since 2000

Kevin C. Cox/Getty ImagesThe Green Bay Packers just won Super Bowl XLV. Where do they rank?

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4 leagues. 122 teams. Where does your favorite franchise stand?

The combined top 25 from the NFL, NHL, NBA and MLB are all ranked here via a number of categories and formulas.

The rankings come down to just one thing: winning.

A formula designed to balance regular season winning percentage, postseason winning percentage, division championships, conference championships and league championships boiled down to the inclusion of seven teams from the NFL, six from the NHL, six from the NBA, and six from MLB.

24. Miami Heat

Nick Laham/Getty ImagesMiami Heat, NBA

Regular Season Since 1999-2000: 51.6%

Postseason Record: 8-7

Division Championships: 4

Conference Championships: 1

NBA Championships: 1

Defining Season: 2005-2006. After Shaquille O'Neal signed a huge contract to join the team in the offseason, he teamed up with rising star guard Dwyane Wade to cruise to a Southeast division title and a 4-2 series triumph over the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals.

23. San Francisco Giants

Doug Pensinger/Getty ImagesSan Francisco Giants, MLB

Regular Season Since 2000: 53.1%

Postseason Record: 5-3

Division Championships: 3

League Pennants: 2

MLB Championships: 1

Defining Season: 2010. Led by pitcher Tim Lincecum, San Francisco won the NL West and made the playoffs for the first time since 2003. Following series victories against Atlanta and favored Philadelphia, the Giants were world champions after taking down Texas in the World Series.

21. Anaheim Ducks

Bruce Bennett/Getty ImagesAnaheim Ducks, NHL

Regular Season Since 1999-2000: 53.6%

Postseason Record: 10-4

Division Championships: 1

Conference Championships: 2

NHL Championships: 1

Defining Season: 2006-2007. After an off-season of change in which the team name, logos, colors and uniforms were all redone, the Ducks flew through the regular season to clinch the first division championship in team history.

After a beatdown of Ottawa in the Finals, Anaheim scored their first Stanley Cup as well.

13. Colorado Avalanche

Brian Bahr/Getty ImagesColorado Avalanche, NHL

Regular Season Since 1999-2000: 59.0%

Postseason Record: 11-7

Division Championships: 4

Conference Championships: 1

NHL Championships: 1

Defining Season: 2000-2001. A record-breaking season by goalie Patrick Roy and solid play at every position on the ice resulted in Colorado coasting through the regular season and playoffs before emerging victorious over New Jersey in an extremely hard fought Stanley Cup Finals

9. Indianapolis Colts

Marc Serota/Getty ImagesIndianapolis Colts, NFL

Regular Season Since 2000: 71.0%

Postseason Record: 9-9

Division Championships: 7

Conference Championships: 2

NFL Championships: 1

Defining Season: 2006. Typically a force only in the regular season, these Colts finally rose to the occasion and defeated the mighty New England Patriots in the AFC championship game 38-34 to advance to Miami and beat Chicago in Super Bowl XLI behind MVP Peyton Manning.

8. Detroit Pistons

Elsa/Getty ImagesDetroit Pistons, NBA

Regular Season Since 1999-2000: 58.1%

Postseason Record: 16-8

Division Championships: 6

Conference Championships: 2

NBA Championships: 1

Defining Season: 2003-2004. Finishing as the runner up to Indiana in the Central division did not faze Detroit one bit as they tore through the Eastern playoffs and beat the Pacers in the conference finals.

A relatively easy series victory over the star-studded Lakers in the NBA Finals gave Detroit the crown.

6. Pittsburgh Steelers

Jim McIsaac/Getty ImagesPittsburgh Steelers, NFL

Regular Season Since 2000: 65.3%

Postseason Record: 12-5

Division Championships: 5

Conference Championships: 3

NFL Championships: 2

Defining Season: 2005. This Pittsburgh team became the poster child for the term "road warriors" after an average regular season led to the Steelers' unprecedented run to the Super Bowl as a sixth seed.

By the time Pittsburgh weathered their AFC opponents' best shots, Seattle was no match in the big game.

1. Los Angeles Lakers

Kevork Djansezian/Getty ImagesLos Angeles Lakers, NBA

Regular Season Since 1999-2000: 65.1%

Postseason Record: 27-5

Division Championships: 6

Conference Championships: 7

NBA Championships: 5

Defining Season: 1999-2000. Although not as dominant in the postseason as they would be a year later, this team tallied 67 regular season victories with outstanding play from Kobe Bryant and league MVP Shaquille O'Neal. The duo brought Los Angeles their first championship since the Magic Johnson era.